Hyotei, Forever
by LFan4Ever
Summary: The summer before the seniors go into high school, Ryo Shishido wonders about his teammates, tennis, and the fate of the Hyotei tennis team. Disclaimer: Don't own PoT


It was just one more day before school would start again—only this time, it was the beginning of a new year, a year in which all the previous 9th graders of Hyotei Gakuen would now enter high school. None of the regulars of the Hyotei tennis team had really seen each other over the summer; they had all been too busy going on business trips with their family or such. And so, Atobe had called each one of the former regulars to announce that they would have a little get-together at the public tennis courts. They would play a few matches ("like old times," he had said) and then perhaps go get something to eat.

And that explained why Ryo Shishido was standing on the bleachers next to the public tennis court, awkwardly clutching his racket in his right hand, and a ballhopper in the other. He scowled darkly at his watch. It was 3:14 already…_weren't they supposed to arrive at 3?_ Oh right…it was the rest of the Hyotei team. Probably wanted to make a scene….no, that would just be Atobe (_because that's what he always did)_. The rest had probably all forgotten. Would he be standing here, then, for an hour? Shishido's thoughts continued on in this manner until a sudden "Hey" startled him.

Shishido whipped his head around.

"Hey." A deep, sultry voice once again interrupted Shishido from his thoughts, and he jerked his head up in astonishment. He relaxed, seeing that it was only Yuushi Oshitari. "Ah, Oshitari… had a good summer?" Shishido asked politely. Which was surprising, considering that he wasn't exactly a polite person. But then again, it was common knowledge that people change the summer before tenth grade.

Oshitari shrugged nonchalantly (_as he always did when he was faking politeness_). "It's been quite well…I went to Italy with my parents. You?" Oshitari had grown another few inches, and his shoulders had broadened as well. But what was more obvious was the maturity – Oshitari had always been the mature one of the nine, but it was evident that he had grown up quite a bit in the summer.

"The others aren't here." Oshitari said, as if he had expected it. Shishido nodded, pointlessly, craning his neck around, as if he were hoping to see some appararition of the rest of the team. "Yeah, they aren't…"

About thirty minutes passed, in awkward silence. Finally…

"I don't think that they're coming." Shishido butt in (_as was his way_), disappointment obvious in his tone. "All of them stood us up." Oshitari laughed. "Hm, well, what can you say…it's Hyotei after all. I heard that Gakuto might be out of town at this point… he's training to take over his father's position directly after high school." Shishido frowned, slightly interested.

"Really? What?" And so, the two began a conversation of what each one knew about what somebody else had done over the summer (and as was expected, they were all traveling with their families…so typical), and then the conversation switched to what everybody would be doing in the school year.

"I think Jirou's quitting tennis actually…he says he's too busy." Shishido shrugged, now taking a bite out of his apple, trying and failing to keep the bitterness out of his voice. Oshitari nodded. "Ah, I heard that too…" (_Which Shishido knew was a lie, of course he hadn't.)_

It was odd really, Shishido reflected bitterly, that they _(or rather, Oshitari_) could talk about who was doing tennis next year and who was not without feeling even a slight bit of remorse, or disappointment, or even anger at that person – while as last year, a life without tennis would have been unthinkable. Perhaps they had all realized that tennis couldn't be their lives…

But then, this just made Shishido angry. Would tennis mean nothing to anyone anymore? Would they never be the high school team going to the nationals? Would they finally lose, once and for all, to Seigaku? Or (_and this was Shishido's worst fear_) would the entire team fall apart now because… they really had no reason to stay together? Shishido didn't think that they were very close anyways (_a lie_) — for proof, look how awkward the conversation with Oshitari currently was (_because he was making it that way, but Shishido didn't bother to think of that possibility)._ Suddenly, he sighed impatiently.

"Aren't you angry?" he blurted out. Oshitari looked at him, startled.

"What at, precisely?" Shishido impatiently gestured with his hands at the empty, lonely tennis courts and at themselves.

"This.. tennis… our team…. everything! We're all falling apart, and it's like nothing matters!"

Oshitari gave a sad, knowing smile.

"You didn't honestly think that we would stick around forever playing tennis, did you? While I admit that it's a lovely pastime…"

That was it for Shishido.

"_Pastime??_ Hell, Oshitari, tennis isn't a bloody _pastime!_ It's like…it's like our oxygen, it's our life! When did tennis mean so little! Forget tennis — _when did our team begin meaning so little_!" Shishido burst out passionately.

Oshitari sighed. "Atobe is going to quit tennis."

A silence.

About a minute of silence passed, with only Shishido's ragged breath being heard, the pent-up frustration and anger evident in his expression.

Then…

"What the hell do you mean Atobe's not playing tennis." It was not a question, it was a command, flatly said with no emotion evident in the tone.

Oshitari casually looked at his fingernails.

"His parents — he's going to learn to how to be the new CEO of Atobe Enterprises. It will take all his time and he won't have any time for tennis so… do you see?"

"Oh, I see. I see everything." Shishido said, sarcastically. "Yes, even the _great Ore-sama_, the man who beat Tezuka in a match, the nationally ranked Hyotei captain who stood atop 200 tennis players… he's quitting. Because of his bloody parents." Shishido whirled around, facing Oshitari, in anger.

"Pray tell, who's **not** quitting?" he shot. Oshitari shook his head though, smiling now a bit sadly. "Atobe doesn't believe it, even now, you see. Atobe… well, we always knew what a real idiot he was, but now it's just obvious. He doesn't know what to do and where to turn… he's lost. That's why he called this; he didn't want to lose himself… but then he got too cowardly to even show up."

_But Atobe isn't supposed to be like this,_ Shishido panicked to himself, _he's invincible, he's our captain and he can't…he can't abandon us like this!_

"None of us _want_ to quit tennis, Shishido. And it's not just about the fact we're all CEO's in training — it's the fact that some of us have realized we need to begin with our real lives. Because, honestly, none of us, not even Atobe, ever considered tennis as a real career."

"So, fine, we're quitting tennis. Or at least you guys are. And me? Are you just going to abandon me?" Shishido demanded. _Leave me playing alone, for good? _Oshitari just sighed.

"You don't understand…" And then he blinked suddenly, for right in front of him, at the top of the bleachers, had appeared Keigo Atobe.

"You're forty-eight minutes late." Oshitari called, getting over the shock, staring Atobe directly in the eye, smiling slightly. Atobe smirked, though it was a different type of smirk. "Well, I'm Ore-sama… peasant, aren't you going to say hi?" He called down to Shishido, who was staring open-mouthed and speechless at Atobe.

"We – didn't think you were coming!" Shishido said, trying to manifest words from his mouth, but it only came in a surprised sort of squeak. "But the others didn't…"

"Who the hell said we're not here? Liar!" Called that familiar, and admittedly missed voice. "Mukahi?" Shishido could hardly believe it. From believing that none of the team were going to show up, that nobody cared squat about the rest of the team or tennis anymore, to this… it was rather unbelievable.

"Seriously, I didn't think…"

"Ore-sama doesn't care what you think; we're going to play some practice matches, ahn?" Atobe barked out, the Captain all over again.

And Shishido couldn't help but repress a small grin as he and Ootori, Silver Pair, walked out on the courts to face Oshitari and Gakuto. "Ready to lose?" he called out (_the familiar taunt)_. And then, predictably, Oshitari calls back: "You are." Satisfied, Shishido is poised to serve — and in the corner of his eye, he can see the mocking invite of Oshitari, who is set to perform his Higuma Otoshi the first chance he gets.

"Here it comes!" Shishido yells, and the ball flies across the court (as it always does) and predictably, play gets more intense and heated, and the players get more passionate _(just like they always did_).

But, Oshitari hopes Shishido will soon realize that he doesn't need to relive the past anymore, or even try to. Because, even if this is the real end of their tennis, nothing will change. And as Oshitari finally gets to do his Higuma Otoshi, he thinks, smirking to himself:

_We might lose our tennis, and one day we'll lose the 'Hyotei' as well…_

_But nothing and nobody can ever tear apart our team._


End file.
